The Product That Saved My Chapped, Red Face

Posted 12/15/10 at 03:17PM by Audrey Fine

Maybe it's because I'm lucky (and smart) enough to live where it's warm all year long or maybe it's just the way my DNA came together but, whatever the reason, my skin does NOT do well in cold weather. Not only do I get hives when I come back inside from being out in the freezing temps (a lovely, little known disorder known as cold urticaria) but also my face gets almost instantly chapped, red and sore.

With that pretty picture set in your mind's eye, I'd like you to imagine what happened when I went skiing last weekend -- in 18 degree snowy weather. As lovely as the mountain looked under that white blanket of powder, my face looked the polar opposite once we got off the slopes and back to our room. It was red. And chapped. And RAW.

After panicking a bit, I sent my family out to dinner (I couldn't go anywhere without scaring little kids) and foraged through my makeup bag looking for something, anything that might work to soothe my tortured skin.

Had we been at home, I'd have grabbed my trusty tube of Dermalogica Barrier Repair, $37 and rested content knowing that my skin would be better in the morning. (That stuff rocks.) But, the only sort of moisturizer I had packed was chock full of anti-aging ingredients which would surely aggravate the situation. Not wanting to brace the cold again to hit a drugstore, I began rummaging through everyone's luggage to see what, if anything, they had brought along that might help. Then, when I'd almost given up hope, I found a pot of Vaseline Pure Petroleum Jelly, $4.49 in one of the ski bags and it was like the angels sang because I knew it would save the day -- and my face.

Yes, gross as it may sound, slathering yourself in Vaseline is the way to go if you want to lock in moisture and heel dry, cracked or chapped skin. (Just ask Tyra Banks who even has a YouTube video to champion her addiction to the stuff.) And, no, I did not wake up in the morning covered in zits -- just had (mostly) heeled, painless skin. Nor did I further expose my visage to the elements -- a good book, a cozy fire and a hot toddy had my name written all over them.

Vaseline or Aquaphor works wonders on really chapped skin. That stuff is a lifesaver--while I was on Accutane, my face (especially lips) and hands were so dry and chapped and cracked. It sucked. But using Aquaphor regularly helped me manage the side effects. I always had at least one tube on me! (They have little travel sized tubes that are really convenient).